Tablet Review: Wacom Cintiq 27QHD Touch

It’s hard to imagine life without a Wacom tablet, especially when retouching occupies a large part of your digital workflow. As a long-time Intuos user, I’ve been more than happy upgrading my tablet from time to time. But nothing—not even a hands-on Cintiq review a few years ago—prepared me for working on the Cintiq 27QHD Touch. This 27-inch pen and touch display is gorgeous and a big step up from its 24-inch predecessor in more than size.

The most noticeable difference is the 27QHD Touch’s clean, express-key-free bezel. Instead, the display comes with an ExpressKey Remote with 17 programmable keys. Combined with on-screen controls and custom settings, you’re ensured quick access to your tools.

But all this beauty and its 16:9 aspect ratio doesn’t come cheap. The Cintiq 27QHD with its touchscreen display retails for $2,800—and that’s without a stand. Give up the touchscreen and you can shave $500 off the price.

Cintiq 27QHD Pro Pen and ExpressKey Remote.

Design

At 19.8 pounds (without a stand) and measuring 30.3 x 18.3 x 2.1 inches (27 inches measured diagonally), the 27QHD Touch is designed—and destined—to live in a studio. Set up is quite easy, particularly since Wacom includes everything you need: DisplayPort cable and an HDMI cable, mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort adapter, DVI-D to HDMI adapter, along with an AC adapter and power cable, USB 3.0 cable, micro USB cable (for charging the Remote), a Pro Pen and stand, 10 nibs, CD-ROM, quick start guide and the ExpressKey Remote. A half dozen screws for a Vesa Mount are also included.
Using a DisplayPort connection (and a video card that supports 10-bit color), the 27QHD Touch delivers a whopping 2560 x 1440 resolution and 1.07 billion colors, which translates into a 97 percent RGB color gamut. Be aware, though, that Wacom suggests connecting via the DisplayPort to get the full resolution and color from the Cintiq. On computers pre-dating 2015, the HDMI output is typically sending your monitor a 1080p signal so you’ll be leaving a lot of pixels behind when you plug in the HDMI cable.

What We Liked

Out of the box the display’s colors looked great but since Wacom sent me the Wacom Color Manager, a color management tool and software developed with X-Rite, I ran through the usual color management protocol. Although the $249 Color Manager (which consists of a colorimeter and software) is optimized for the 27QHD, it’s compatible with other displays as well.

Wacom Color Manager. 

At first I was skeptical about using the ExpressKey Remote; after all, I was used to having the keys directly on the Intuos tablets I’ve used. But with the bundled Pro Pen in one hand and the ExpressKey Remote in the other, it didn’t take too long to get used to pressing keys and using the remote’s control wheel to start working. Looking back on a previous Cintiq review, I remember it was too easy to accidentally hit the display’s hard keys and inadvertently launch a tool. With the clean bezel on the 27QHD, that’s no longer an issue. And, the bezel surrounding the screen gives you a comfortable place to lean your hand when working out to the edge of the display.

When the Remote is not in use, it can be placed on any surface or, more conveniently, on the magnetized left or right side of the bezel. It takes about two hours to charge the Remote via one of the display’s USB ports and is estimated to last 160 hours on a single charge.

Using gestures (which can be customized), the display screen is responsive to touch. Keep in mind, though, that if you have the pen on (or really close) to the display, touch operation won’t work. At the top of the display, one of a trio of controls turns the touch on and off. The other two activate the on-screen keyboard or open the Wacom Desktop Center, which offers a number of integral features including extensive programming options for the Remote and on-screen controls.

What We Didn’t Like

There isn’t much to dislike about the 27QHD other than the obvious. It’s big, it’s bulky and it’s damn expensive. A pair of pull out legs tilts the Cintiq, which makes it a little easier to work on but most people will probably want more than the 20-degree angle the integrated legs provide. You’ll have to add $400 more for the 27QHD Ergo stand for the ultimate flexibility. And that’s a lot of cash to lay out.

If you’re willing to give up resolution and active display size, check out Wacom’s other Cintiqs such as the 22HD Touch for around $2,000. But if you spend hours retouching in the studio and want (or need) a bright, beautiful and responsive touch display to work with, the Cintiq 27QHD is worth the investment.

Related: Tech Tuesday: Living Large with Wacom’s New Cintiqs 

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